INTERRUPT CONTROL USING A GUEST OWNED BACKING PAGE

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INTERRUPT CONTROL USING A GUEST OWNED BACKING PAGE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18090740 titled 'INTERRUPT CONTROL USING A GUEST OWNED BACKING PAGE

The patent application describes techniques for implementing programmable control of interrupts by a guest virtual machine in a processing system using a guest owned backing page.

The virtual machine programs a guest owned backing page to block specific interrupts, protecting confidential information and program behavior.
When a designated interrupt is detected, the system hardware or software blocks the interrupt instead of executing an interrupt handler.
This approach reduces the risk of a malicious hypervisor failing to protect the virtual machine from unwanted interrupts, enhancing system security and predictability.

Potential Applications: - Enhancing security in virtualized environments - Improving system predictability and reliability - Safeguarding confidential information in cloud computing

Problems Solved: - Mitigating the risk of malicious hypervisors compromising virtual machine security - Preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data through interrupts

Benefits: - Increased system security and predictability - Enhanced protection of confidential information - Improved reliability of virtualized environments

Commercial Applications: Title: "Enhancing Virtual Machine Security with Programmable Interrupt Control" This technology could be utilized in cloud computing services, data centers, and virtualization platforms to enhance security and protect sensitive information.

Questions about Programmable Interrupt Control: 1. How does programmable interrupt control improve system security in virtualized environments?

  - Programmable interrupt control allows virtual machines to block specific interrupts, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data.

2. What are the potential implications of using a guest owned backing page for interrupt control in cloud computing?

  - Using a guest owned backing page can enhance security and protect confidential information in cloud computing environments.

Original Abstract Submitted

Techniques for implementing programmable control by a guest virtual machine (VM) of interrupts at a processing system using a guest owned backing page are disclosed. The VM programs a guest owned backing page (e.g., a data structure in memory) that designates particular interrupts that are to be blocked. In response to detecting a designated interrupt, system hardware or software blocks the interrupt, rather than executing an interrupt handler to process the interrupt. The VM is thereby able to protect confidential information and program behavior with less risk of a malicious hypervisor failing to protect the VM from, e.g., unexpected or unwanted interrupts, thereby improving overall system security and predictability.